Overcoming fear

Many people suffer from a dislike of dentists, for some, however, the problem is much more serious.

The good news is - we can help.

You are not alone!

Let's get one thing out of the way immediately - being scared of the dentist is a VERY common thing.

Hundreds of thousands of people avoid going to the dentist because they simply cannot face their fear. So you are not alone...not by a long way!

Having fears and phobias of dentists does not make you a weak person.

At Harewood, we understand what causes this common fear and are able to apply strategies that help people turn what, for them can be a terrifying experience into something they can manage.

Understand that your fears are normal, again let me repeat - The fear of dentists is very common. Let's face it, going to the dentist is not fun. It's not like getting your hair done or buying a new outfit....but it does have a major impact on your wellbeing.

Eventually when decades of neglect take their toll, not only will your smile disappear...but you are likely to experience pain - which is something that probably drives your anxiety in the first place.

Missing out on dental visits increases the potential future occurrences of pain and can negatively affect how you eat, speak and look.

So why do people fear the dentist so much?

There are a number of very common reasons including, but not limited to:
 

• A very poor childhood dental experience which has been jammed deep in your memory
   
• A feeling that you have been unable to communicate your anxiety and get the help you need.

The truth about pain

One of the major contributing factors in being worried about getting treatment is the fear of pain.

In the past this was well founded and indeed many treatments were...well, fairly painful - but that's all history now !

Harewood has literally decades of experience in this area and everyone who works for Harewood is a highly qualified professional. We work with families long term to ensure they get the best care. It does not matter what your age is, we treat people as individuals.

We listen and adapt how we work to suit how well you cope, we talk to you and make sure you understand what is happening, how long treatments will take and by applying care (with a sense of humour) are able to reassure you about any treatment you may need.

The 21st-century dental techniques used at Harewood are all designed to minimise pain to an absolute minimum and sometimes you feel nothing at all.

Being comfortable with your dentist and the environment

Part of the process in reducing worry and stress is to make you feel comfortable with us and our surroundings. If you are suffering major anxiety why not arrange to visit us before booking a treatment session. By getting to know us and seeing our comfortable, relaxed environment you will be on the way to feeling better about your visit.

Take it stage by stage

By making you understand that you don't have to have everything at once, or spend extended periods in a dentist's chair we can help you break the stress down into small, manageable "bite-sized" pieces.

We can provide stress releasing tools, such as music and video that all help.

Understand your treatment.

By fully understanding exactly what will be done and the time required we can structure your body's stress response.

Furthermore, by helping you focus on the end results and your resulting smile you will start to associate the visit with something positive.

With an attitude that makes everyone at Harewood accessible, we guarantee that we can make a significant difference to people with dental fears and phobias. Our aim is to look after you throughout your life and ensure that making the next appointment is seen at least as a necessary evil.

Come and talk to us about your fears and allow us to demonstrate how visiting Harewood is not like visiting a dentist.